Barbara Lax is an abstract, American painter who draws her inspiration for her colorful, kinetic, and emotionally-resonant oil paintings from her life experiences. Her works are in many private collections internationally. 

Barbara lives and works in Chatham, NY. She is on the Curatorial Committee at the Spencertown Academy Arts Center, active with Chatham Synagogue/Netivot Torah, and on the Board of Trustees of Kids Need Music. She is also a devoted wife and mother to three humans, two dogs, and one cat who thinks he is a dog.

For a longer version of her biography, click here.

Artist Statement

My formal arts training was in dance, much of which was improvisational. This has had a significant influence on my painting. I begin each canvas with a concept or list of adjectives that reflect visual memories or visceral emotions from a place or time. With these in mind, I begin to apply paint. From then on, the painting takes on a life of its own. I never know how it will turn out. In fact, I often rotate the canvas as I paint, as there is rarely a clear up or down during the process. My work is all about how the colors interact with each other and how one line or shape influences that which is adjacent. Although I predominantly use palette knives--brushes, sponges, fingers, and the occasional baking tool come into play. The texture and thickness each tool provides are important to the composition. 

Each painting goes through numerous iterations. I stumble along the way, searching for a conclusion. I may add a dot or line or a splash of color to pull the composition together when I see an end in sight. The result is a canvas filled with the energy of the process. It is the activity of painting that I enjoy, as was the case with dance improvisation. The actual finished work is an added bonus.